Improvement in revolving fire-arms



3 Sheets-Sheet l.` `P. POLAIN.

Revolver.

Patented Mar. 27, 1866.

, i m x N. PEI'ERS. PHOTO-LITHOGNAPHER, wAsHlNGToN. o C.

P. POLAIN.

Revolver.

lunzlnI-lmn IIIIIIIIIIIIIEIIIIIllllllllllHHH Inventor.

Witnesses,

3 Sheets- Sheet 2.

Patented Mar. 27, 1866.

P. POLAIN.

Revolver.

3 Shets- Sheet 3.

Patented Mar. 27, 1866.

' UNITED STATES Y PATENT ErreE.

rnosrnn roLAIN, or BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

IMPRQVEMENT'IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sliding Revolvers with Isolated Chambers; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being h ad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in revolving lire-arms, and its main features are as follows:

In the cylinder of the revolving lire-arm the requisite number of chambers are bored, each of these chambers being entirely separated from the others. Within these chambers are fitted sliding cartridgetubes or small barrels for receiving the charges, which tubes are secured by their upper ends to a disk. The latter is pierced with circular holes, in diameter corresponding to the chambers in the cylinder. At the bottom of the cylinder-chambers are countersunk grooves, in which the ends of the cartridge-tubes iit or are embedded when the pistol is ready to be fired. The fouling which often interferes with the working ol' revolving hre-arms is thus prevented, and all communication of tire from one tube to another is rendered impossible.

Lateral apertures are made in the cylinder, opening from the outside into each chamber, each opening being widest at the base of its cylinder-chambers, where it commences, and

`thence extending nearly the whole length of the chamber, gradually tapering to a point. I t is intended that the Let'aucheux or pin-cartridgeshould be used with this pistol.` Through the openings just mentioned the cartridges are inserted in and withdrawn from the cartridgetubes. These openings also take the place of a clearer or extractor. When the pistol is unloaded and the cartridge-tubes are drawn out of the cylinder-chambers the pins of the cartridges catch in the upper ends of the openings, and the cartridge-cases are thus extracted from the tubes.

To enable others skilled in the art to underi stand and to use my invention, I will now proceed to describe it.

In the drawings, Figure l, A is a cylinder, made in one piece, in which Several chambers are bored, being closed in the rear by the breechplate b b. In the center of the rear face ofthe breech-plate is a six-toothed ratchet, d.

I, PROSPER POLAIN, of The lateral openings a in each cylinder-chamber are those through which thc cartridges are placed in or withdrawn from the chargetubes. The center of the cylinder and of the ratchet d is perforated, as seen at f, to receive the central rod or spindle, y, Fig. 4, A. At the bottom of the chambers of the cylinders are the countersunk grooves s s, in which the ends of the chargetubes tit when the pistol is ready to be tired.

On the rear face of the breech-plate, Fig. 2, A, are seen the locking-recesses c c, by means of which the cylinder is held firmly in position when the piece is to be tired.

Fig. 3 represents the division ot' the chambers e c of the cylinder A, and also the recessed part l l, which receives the 11e-enforcement l ot' the disk, Fig. (i, as hereinafter described.

Fig. 4 represents a the cylinder.

Fig. 5 gives a view ot' a transverse section of the cylinders, where the lateral openings c are shown.

The disk and its sleeve, Fig. (i, B, are, like the cylinder, composed of one piece of metal. The disk has several holes, e c, Fig. S, corresponding to the chambers of the cylinder, in which holes are fastened the chargetubes K, Fig. 9. The tubes are provided with rims or flanges t', Fig. 9, which lit into recesses i i in the face of the disk. The charge-tubes are held in place by means of screws inserted between the sleeveff, Fig. 10, and the bores of the disk c e, Fig. S. The heads of the screws are sunk in recesses made in the disk, so as not to project above the plane of the disk. To the rear of the disk is attached a re-enforcement, l, which serves to give a better hold to the screws used in fastening the cartridgetubes. This re-enforcement l tits into a cor' responding recess in the cylinder ll, Fig. 3. Other little screws are placed in the periphery of the disk for the purpose of holding the cartridge-tubes more securely. Welding can be substituted in place ot' this method of securing the cartridge-tubes. Fig. 9 represents two of these tubes, one fixed to the disk and the other detached from it.

Agroove, m, is made 011 the sleeve fj" of the disk, Figs. 7 and 9. This part of the sleeve is lodged in the rear end of the brace ofthe bar-l longitudinal section of n n- A rel, Fig. 2l. Two little screws, t t, Fig. 2l, iit in the groove, being inserted therein' through the sides of the brace. By this arrangement the disk is permitted to revolve freely upon the central spindle, and at the same time is iirmly connected with the main barrel.

The central spindle, D, Fig. 15, is screwed to the recoil-plate C, Fig. 11, at the point h, Fig. 12. A little groove, n, Fig. 15, is made near the base ofthe spindle. From the intel rior of the cylinder A, Fig. 4, a screw is ina serted in this groove, intended to hold the cylindermin place, at the same time leaving it free l to revolve upon its axis, if desired. 0n the upper part of the spindle is a longitudinal groove, p, Fig. 15, in which the sliding pin, Fig. 1G, works. About midway on the spindle is a slot or notch, g, Fig. 15, in which the lever-key fits, and thus locks the pistol.

Fig.16 represents the guide-pin, which serves to guide and maintain the barrel in a horizontal position. It is composed of a small pin, fr, which lits in the longitudinal groove p of the spindle D, and of a spring s, fastened by means of a screw to the brace. rIhis spring', slightly curved, is furnished on its upper end l l I I with a stud which penetrates the shoulder, and, tting in the sliding pin i", holds it firmly against the face of the groove.

The key F, Fig. 17, is composed of an eccentric, t, which is worked by means ofan eXterior lever, u. This lever being raised the disk, with its cartridge-tubes connected with the main barrel, as has been above described, slides backward or forward on the spindle D. lVhen, on the other hand, the lever is pressed down the eccentric t is forced into the notch or slot g, Fig. l5. The pistol is thus locked and all the different parts ot' the piece firmly held in position. rIhe movement of the lever is limited by a little screw, c, placed in the rear face ofthe brace. The lock is composed of a cock, Fig. 19, w, a mainspring, x, aiguide for the cylinder, and its spring a a, a trigger, z, and cam-like projection or catch, e e, and a little tri gger-sprin g, y. The catch e c is tastened by a screw to the upper end of the trigger. Immediately opposite the catch is an aperture, c c, Fig. l2, made in the recoil-plate, facing the locking-recesses in the breech-plate ofthe cylinder C, Fig. 2. Each time that the cock or hammer is raised the catch is forced forward through the opening c c into the locking'- justed and closed, and

recesses, thus stopping the cylinder and holding it in position. The catch only quits the notch when the pressure is removed from the trigger.

Fig. 11 is a protile view of the recoil-plate. In Fig. 12 is shown the face of the recoil-plate. In the center, h, is the openings, in which is lodged the guide of the cylinder, Fig. 10, a, a, and of the six-toothed ratchet, which is on the cylinder. Below is the aperture c c for the passage of the trigger-catch. 0n the lower part of the plate is the tenon cl for joining it to the brace.

Fig. 13 represents the bottom ofthe recoilplate. The holes g g are for the screws used to secure the trigger-guard to the plate. Fig. 14 is a rear view of the recoil-plate. Fig. 20 is a protile view of the main barrel.

Fig. 21 represents the rear face of the shoulder of the barrel.

for the passage of the central rod or spindle.

In the center is the hole f Around this hole there is a recess, a, intended to contain the part m of the sleeve ofthe disk. The two screws t t (represented in this figure) are those which pass through the side faces of the brace, fitting in the groove on the sleeve ofthe disk. At the point n, Fig. 17, is a holel in which is placed the screw which limits the movement of the lever.

Fig. 22 represents the tri gger-guard the handle ot' the pistol, and Fig. 24 the ring in the butt, by which the pistol may be suspended by a strap. Fig. 25 represents the pistol ad- Fig. 26 represents the 5 Fig. 23,

same opened.

In revolving fire-arms I claim the combination ofthe following elements:

1. A revolving cylinder whose chambers are provided with lateral openings and countersunk grooves, as set forth.

2. A cluster of charge-tubes capable of revolution with the revolving cylinder and of sliding upon its axis, as herein described, the whole operating so that the fire-arm may be loaded or the charges withdrawn without disengaging the sliding charge-tubes from their respective cylinder-chambers.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

L. PoLAiN, RBMYERS.

PROSPER POLAIN. 

